Question

Why is it advised to drive along the slippery road slowly?

Answer 1

Hint: The slipperiness of a road is a statement used to describe the friction provided by the road. Greater the slipperiness, less the friction and vice versa. Also, we shall first see, what is the relation between the slipperiness of a road with the speed of a vehicle. Only then would we be able to answer our question. We shall proceed like this to get our solution.

Complete step-by-step solution:
Whenever we drive a vehicle on a road, there are certain forces acting on the vehicle. These forces are forces of gravity due to the vehicle’s weight. Normal reaction by the ground. Force of air resistance called “drag” opposite to the direction of motion and the force of friction at the point of contact of the tyres with the road.
When the road is slippery, it does not change any of the first three forces mentioned above but only affects the force of friction. This is because force of friction on an object is determined by two entities, the normal reaction and the coefficient of friction between the two entities. Here, the term “coefficient” of friction is reduced as the slipperiness between the two surfaces increases and hence force of friction is reduced.
This is the main reason why drivers are advised to drive slowly on wet and slippery roads, so that the tyres do not skid on the road and there is less chance of an accident.
Hence, in order to decrease the chances of skidding, drivers are advised to drive along the slippery road slowly.

Note: When driving on a slippery road, and you suddenly need to stop. Do not ever apply the brakes all in one go, as it will make the vehicle not only skid on the wet surface but can also result in a fatal accident. Instead, one should apply the brakes at an interval as it will not give the tyres enough time to skid on the surface and the vehicle will also come to a stop eventually.